Switch



LCS. SUTLIFF.' SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JNEZ, |920.

193923665, Patented 001;. 4, 1921.

/I TTUR/VE YS [LEWIS STERLING SUTLIFF, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA..

SWITCH.

Leashes.

' Applicationled .Tune 23,

To alltwlwm t may concern: I

Be it known that l, Lnwrs STERLING SUT- Lrrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Charleston, in. the .county of Charleston and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Switches, Vof which thel folings, wherein lowing is a specification.

My invention has reference `to switches -and 'more particularly to a simple andnovel' switch designed for controlling an electric circuit and thus the working apparatus orins'trumentality interposed in the circuit. w.

Among the objects of the invention are to provideA a switch which may be used as a 4wall switch, a suspended switch or a straight line switch;` to permit the device to be operated in eithernse, by one handfand which will indicate itsposition without the necessity of employing the characters On and Offa s usual in snap switches; to so construct the device that its. parts arereduced to the lowest minimum,l while still'A permitting the removal of thecontacts in order to facilitate the attachment ofthe -circuit wires in orderto` facilitate installation and repair, and to so construct the switch that it maybe used for. the installation of linewires which pass through it or which terminate at lthe switch,'whereby the device is adapted to a variety of-uses. Other and :further-'objects of my invention will become readilyapparent to. personsskilled inlthe art, from al consideration of the following description when taken in conjunctionV with the .accompanying `draw- Figure l is a side view of the F ig. 2 is a front elevation, Y Fig. 3 is a face view of the rear section, F ig. 4 is a face view of the front section, Fig. 5, is--a top plan view partly in transverse section, A

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the contacts or terminals, l Fig. 7 is a similar view of the other contact orA terminal, and Fig.V 8 is a side view partly in section and brokenaway to show the device employed as a wall Switch.'

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, my vimproved switch is shown as comprisinga pair of disks which are flat and switch,

relatively thin, being a front disk 10 and a Specification of Letters Patent.

in' frictional contact .freedom of movement therebetween,

Patented Qct. 4t, 1921.. 1920. serial 110.391,03?.

rear disk 11. These disks or plates are of any required dimension or shape, and of any suitable non-conductive or dielectric materlal, such as porcelain, hard rubber or fiber, though preferably made circular in outline, as indlcated in the drawings. The disks are disposed withV their inner faces in Contact as indicatedv at 12, and both are`- provided with central apertures lreceiving a pivot in'the form of a bolt-or the like 14, having suitable means for maintaining the disks as b means Aof the lock nut and washer 15' pref)-T erably located at the back of the switch while the head of the boltis positioned at the front. Of course, it is to be understood" that any suitable adjustable or regulaftable connection may be employed between the disks pr sections of the switch constituted by the circular orrather geometrical plates l0 and 11. K

Extendin'gyradia'lly from'each of the disks is a pair of operating and condition indieating projections, the projections 16 and 17 of the disk 11 being disposed'di'ametrically opposite and extending radially outward. The projectionslS and 19 of the disk 10 also project radially outward but are so 'related to the circumferential edge of the disk that when one of the projections is in alinement with the corresponding projection ofthe other disk, the opposite projection will be disposed outof alinement with its corresponding projection and spaced therefrom circumferentially. That is, the projections 16 and 17 are located diametrically opposite with an arc of 180 on either side and the projections 18 and 19 are so related -move relatively, one turning on the other or both moving on the axis formed by the bolt or pivot 14 in order toobtain a certain relative position of the projections of one disk relative to the-projecti9ns of the other and for regulating the I 35 proper.

disk. The purpose of this is to cut the circuit in or out by means of a plurality of con- I disk. At its outer edge it is. formed intermediately with a right angular projection 23 also embedded in the inner face of the disk and slightly projecting from the plane of the inner surface of the plate and disk so as to" form a detent by cooperation with a notch or recess extending radially of the outer Aor front face of the disk 11 as indicated at 24:, in orderto retain the disk lagainst/,relative movement when the circuit Y' V25'fis'cl'sed, as will be -Ahereinafter more fully f explained., In order to securely anchor the plate or bridge l,piece 20 in position,the latter is provided' at its arcuate or concaved edge whichl is disposed toward the axis, lwith "39a right angular dove-tail projection 25engaging a corresponding recess 26 inthe inlIner face of the disk 10, the recess 26 having a greater maximum depth than theA recess accommodating- `the bridge piece or vplate By`this means, thebridge piece is rendered detachable and may be readily apl plied or removed for renewing or replacing the same when worn out or broken.

The face ofthe disk 11 disposed toward' 40 rthe disk 10, is provided with a substantially@- reversely disposed C-shaped recess or groove 27 disposed concentric to the axes of the disks, thatfis, the semi-circular recess is provided at one side of a diametrical line bisecting thedisk at right angles to the diametrical line connecting the projections 16 and 17, with extensions 28 at the opposite side j of thediametrical line, at which points on thevperiphery; ot the disk, there are provided openings or slots 29, the grooves or extensions28 of the groove 2 7 beingspacedk apart adjacent to the projection 16 as indicated at 30 and receiving contact plates or terminals 81. These contact plates or terminals are preferably of'right angularV formation, the vertical portions thereof entering vgrooves 32 at the4 ends ofhsaid grooves or groove exi in a plane parallel with the axis, the top portions of the plates being tapered toward each other and seated in the faces f the disks or in recesses therein so as toA project slightly from the plane of the face like the bridge piece, or plate 20. The plates are j apertured to receiving binding screws Qr ter- It fits acorresponding,

projections 16 and 17', asindicated 'at 36,n

minals 33 which serve for the connection of oppositelyl branchingelectrical conduits or wires v34: and 35 whichuez'itend around the .f grooves 28 and lout through. thel slots or openings 29 inconjunction with a second conduit or wire 35, although it is to befunderstood that one of the wires, such as the "wire 34, may be eliminated and wire 35l connected to the terminal screw'and contact where the switch is used as a suspended switch' instead of a straight line switch in-y termediately of the source of energ `and the machine, apparatus or instrumenta ity to be operated. n

Thus, with the switch arranged to accommodate two strands ofuelectrici wirey entering the switch and which' it is vdesired to connect or disconnectgbyfmeans of the switch through the mediumof-fthe contacts ormetal plates of conducting material of 35 suitable shapesuch as described, andV to n which the wires are connected' so as to be readily attached or detached by means of` screws or other suitable'y fastening means, the circuit may be closed or opened, that is cut in or out by one handthroughthe medium of grasping .the projections at eithery lside with the thumb andjforenger, and

when the bridge piece is positioned to engage both of` the plates 31, the circuit will be closed.` In this position, theprojections 17 and 19 will be in al-inement, the projection 17 having been grasped with the thumb and the projection 19 with theforefing'er, with rotation impartedto the disks, suiiiciently,l to revolve ,or turn the Ysame relatively or one. independently of the other in order thatthefprojec'tion 18 will be'moved outof alinementwith respect `to the projection 16. Byf then engaging theprojections 16 and 18 by the thumb and forefingerre. specive1y,'the,disks may be rotated so as to move the contact plate or bridge piece 20 f out of` engagement with one of the plates i or contacts 31, preferably the upper one,

ythus moving the projections 17 and 19 out o f alinement. This maybe indicated if desired by an arrow pointing to a position intermediate or blsecting-vthe arc between the with vthe word On adjacent thereto, or the 'j projections 16 and 17 may be markedV so as to expose the on and off indications according'to the positionof the switch. However, such markings are generally unnecessary in the construction devised. lVhen y U the switch is in the on or closed .position tensions 28 and at elther side, so as to extend with the plate or bridge piece 20 bridging the contacts 31, the projection or detent 23 engaging the recess 24, -will hold the switch against movement and frictional engagement between-the parts including the disks and will hold the switch in any desiredA position.v This obviates the necessity. of employmg sprlngs or other complicated parts 130 present 1n switches and Vreduces the number Vof parts, vand the cost oi production to a .m1nimum,-as wlell as rendering the same unthe otherv disk, instead of turning both rela-r` tively, to bring. the projections into alinement .and by the construction devised, the

from a suspended switch switch, it` being understood that the switch A' switch may be readily operated'with one hand,`sufiicient pressure being applied bythe forenger and thumb so as to bring the bridgepiece into engagement with the spaced contacts by spanning the same or to disengage from one in order that the circuit will be o'pened.

Itl will also be understood that the switch ,i

may be readily operated with one hand whether it be securely fastened toa stationary object or only suspended from overhead y the electric cord it is. designed to operate when used as a4 wall switch, as distinguished or a straight line afords every facility. of the more complicated types of switches commonly useditor these purposes.. Thereis shown in Fig, 8 of the drawings, the device shown app ied to a wall as a wall switch, the wall being designated at 37 and screws 38 passing through the disk 1l from the covered or front face thereof and through errules or bushings 39l to space the switch from the wall so as to accommodate the connecting means, as wellas to comply with regulations and4 insure perfect insulation; 0f course,

the wall may be substituted by any stationary object, the screws being of suitable dimens'ion and passed through holes in the disk ll above and below the center aperture or opening therethrough constituting the aXis of the disk, the heads of the screws being countersunk so as not to engage the iiat face of the disk l0. Of course, the ferrules 39 may be omitted if desired but are employed where it is desired to have the switch stand out from the surface to which it is secured, the screws passing through the ferrules, :as shown. Furthermore, by reason of the openings provided at the top and bottom of the switch, means is provided for installation where both wires of a line enter the switch and pass through it, one line cut and the ends secured to the terminals of the disk- 11 and the other passing through intermediately of the source of energy and instrumentality to be operated, especially adapt-` ed for use on electric iron cords, etc., while as previously stated, the switch maybe located intermediately of one wire or cord or as a suspended switch in order to control a -light or fan above or at any distant oint.

The novelty or" the switch is .to be ound in its simple construction, its operation by means 'of projections or lugs on the circumyferencelof the disks, the small number of' parts required in its construction, and its adaptation to various uses instead of a differently designed switch for each use.

In view of the foregoing, it is thought that the operation of the device will be jreadily understood and in view of the simplicity and practical value that it will-commend itself'to thoseskilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimis:-Vv j l. A switch of the class described. comprisinga pair of disks airially connected for movement one with respect-to the other, one of'said disks being provided with a bridge piece and the other provided with contacts adapted to be spanned by the bridge piece rfor controlling an electrical circuit includin g said` contacts, said disks being provided with recesses adapted to 'accommodate cir- 'cuit wires connected to said contacts, and

integral radial projections on the peripheries of said disks for movementinto and out of alinement whereby to move said bridge piece into position to span said contacts toclose the circuit 'therethrough' and for movement out of engagement withone of said contacts. `2. A switch comprising a pair of circular disks of dielectric material,` means to connect said disks for relativev movement of one with respect to the other, one of said disks being 'provided with diametrically opposite lugs and the other disk being provided with similar lugs locatedincloser angular relation than the firsty named lugs, whereby' when the lugs at one side are disposed. in alinement, the lugs at the Vother side will be spaced apart, circuit wires having contacts arranged in one of said disks, a. second circuitwi-re passing between the disks, and a bridge piece carried by the other Adiskand movable into engagement with both of said contacts to close the circuit therethrough or out of engagement with one of said contacts.

3. A switch of the class described comprising a pair of disks, axial connecting and clamping means :tor the'same, one of said disks being provided with a groove concentric to its axis and a pair of contacts formand adapted to span said irst named con tacts to close the circuit therethrough, one of said disks being provided with opposed radial projections and the other disk having similarlprojections located at an angle of less than 180 from eachother whereby to permit theprojections at either side to be moved into alinement by grasping the same simultaneously or simultaneously applying pressure thereto to turn the disks relatively.'

4. A switch of4 the class described, comprising ,a circular disk having diametrically Iopposed projections, said disk being of dielectric material and' having at its inner face a concentric groove provided with p'ro`-A means for connectingjsaid disks axially Jfor frictional contact and adjustment, and cooperating projections on the edges of the disks for partially'turning one'with respect to the other and bringing the projections at` one side into alinement alternately with respectv tothe alinement of the projectionsat the opposite side.

5. A switch comprisingthe combination with supporting means; of a lpair of relatively flat disks of non-conductive material,

an axial connection between the disks whereby lone is rendered movable with respect to the other and adapted to be held in'an adjusted position, one of the disks being provided at its contacting face with a semicircular grooveJ having end openings extending through ,the periphery and extensions also extending concentrically to the axis,

right angular Contact plates embeddeddn the ends ci said extensions andV provided with suitable binding"`terminals, the adjacent face ofthe other disk being provided with a.recess and a contact plate of arcuate formation mounted in said recess and detachably secured to said disk `for 'coperation with the rst named contact plates.

6. A switch comprising the combination with supporting means; of a pair of relatively lat disks of non-conductive material, an axial connection between the disks whereby one is rendered movable with respect to the other and adapted to be held in an adjusted position, one of the disks being provided at its contacting face with a semicircular groove having end openings extending through the periphery and extensions" also extending concentrically to the axis, right angular contact plates embedded in the ends of said extensions and provided with suitable binding terminals, said disk also having a recess between said'f contact*- plates, a curved plate having a dovetailed offset extension embedded in the coacting face of the other disk and arranged concentric to the axes of the disks for engagement.I

with said first named contact plates and adapted to span the same, said arcuate or curved plate having a spring projection designed to engage said notch in'one position, and a pair of projections at the'periphery of each disk and adapted to be alternately grasped and moved into alinement at diametrically opposite sides of the disks to 7 open or close the switch.

Lnwrs STERLING -sUrLirn 

